Penn State basketball will have to start over on the recruiting trail this summer following the announcement that 2016 forward Joe Hampton decommited this past weekend.
“Opened my recruitment,” Hampton tweeted. “Nothing against the PSU coaching staff or family.”
The 6-foot-7 prospect was ranked 155th in the nation according to Rivals but was a solid start to the 2016 recruiting effort. With a host of offers from regional schools like Maryland and Xavier, Hampton has a lot of things to mull over as Penn State’s up and down season continues.
Hampton hasn’t offered an explanation as to the reasoning behind his decision, but it makes sense that a recruit who committed so early in the process may have second thoughts as his future home struggles to win games. If nothing else, Hampton has never been overly vocal about his commitment to the program — a small but sometimes telling detail.
Either way, Penn State will now have five scholarships to fill for the 2016 recruiting class. Some of those spots may be filled long before members of that class sign on the dotted line with transfers or other options. But no matter what, it remains a large moment in the Pat Chambers era. Coming off of a nationally-recognized recruiting class in 2015, the 2016 cycle could help make or break the immediate future of the Penn State’s men’s basketball program.
While Hampton’s switch isn’t helpful for Chambers, the recent interest from four star prospects Lamar Stevens and Tony Carr means that Hampton hasn’t put a damper on the potential this class has to be solid for a second straight year.
Penn State will face Nebraska this Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. The Nittany Lions are coming off a buzzer beating win over Minnesota behind a 31 point outing by DJ Newbill.
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